A tragic plane crash involving an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet claimed dozens of lives on Wednesday in western Kazakhstan.
The Embraer 190 aircraft, carrying 67 people, veered off its scheduled route and went down near Aktau, an oil and gas hub on the Caspian Sea’s eastern shore.
Kazakh authorities confirmed 28 survivors, including two children, who were hospitalized following the crash. Emergency responders at the scene reported extinguishing a fire that broke out upon impact.
The flight, travelling from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, made an emergency landing approximately three kilometres from Aktau.
Azerbaijan Airlines, the country’s national carrier, stated that the plane had 62 passengers and five crew members on board.
Among the passengers, 37 were from Azerbaijan, six from Kazakhstan, three from Kyrgyzstan, and 16 from Russia, according to the Kazakh transport ministry.
Kazakhstan’s emergency services deployed 150 workers to the crash site. The health ministry dispatched a special flight from the capital, Astana, carrying medical specialists to treat the injured.
Kazakh authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has also ordered an urgent inquiry, cutting short his visit to Russia, where he was attending a Commonwealth of Independent States summit.
Flight tracking data showed the plane deviating from its planned route over the Caspian Sea before circling near Aktau, where it ultimately crashed.
Azerbaijan’s First Lady and Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva expressed her sorrow, saying, “I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims. Wishing them strength and patience! I also wish a speedy recovery to the injured.”
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov also conveyed his condolences to the victims’ families.
